Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Correspondence (private letter)
Easterby, Captain Anthony Y. to Pelham-Clinton, 5th Duke of Newcastle Henry Pelham Fiennes 15 January 1858, CO 305:9, no. 2168, 567.
Abstract
Correspondence (private letter).
Minutes (4), Other documents (2).
Easterby requests permission from the Colonial Office to work gold mines on Haida Gwaii. And for “indemnity” for losses incurred during a previous attempt at mining when
he was “compelled to desist” by Captain Kuper.
In the minutes, the CO dismisses Easterby’s plea for financial compensation and denies his application for a lease.
Easterby to Newcastle
Having failed in my efforts to reach your Grace's ear
through the medium of agents, I have resolved as a dernier resort
to address you personally, with the hope that should this letter
be received, it will meet with your favorable consideration.
My petition to your Grace regards Queen Charlotte's Island,
where in 1852 were discovered some gold quartz mines, for
permission to work which, I applied on behalf of myself and
partners to your Grace in 1853.
The grounds of our claim are the following. In 1852 having
heard that gold had been discovered in Q.C. Island and desiring
as Englishmen to invest our capital in British Territories we
purchased and fitted out a vessel with stores and provisions,
and sent her up to the Island with a mining crew on board;
there were however no diggings as in California, but our Captain
met there the Hudson Bay Company's Schooner "Recovery" whose crew
were
working a quartz vein, in which they could find no gold,
and therefore soon abandoned. The mere existence of quartz, however,
induced Captain Rooney to investigate farther, and after a
diligent search he succeeded in discovering a blue quartz vein
with gold visible; it was for permission to work this blue vein
that I applied to your Grace. Captain Rooney left our mining
crew to work it, returning to San Francisco to inform us of the
discovery, and to obtain farther instructions. In his
absence the party were compelled to desist working by Captain Kuper of the "Amphitrite" [the
Thetis].
Captain Rooney finding this to be the case, on his return to the
Island took the men on board and proceeded in accordance with
our previous directions, round the north end of the Island to
visit a copper mine, of whose position we are alone cognisant;
in that vicinity he was surprised by natives, who seized, and
burnt the vessel, making himself and crew prisoners, whose ransom
we afterwards paid.
working a quartz vein, in which they could find no gold,
and therefore soon abandoned. The mere existence of quartz, however,
induced Captain Rooney to investigate farther, and after a
diligent search he succeeded in discovering a blue quartz vein
with gold visible; it was for permission to work this blue vein
that I applied to your Grace. Captain Rooney left our mining
crew to work it, returning to San Francisco to inform us of the
discovery, and to obtain farther instructions. In his
absence the party were compelled to desist working by Captain Kuper of the "Amphitrite" [the
Thetis].
Captain Rooney finding this to be the case, on his return to the
Island took the men on board and proceeded in accordance with
our previous directions, round the north end of the Island to
visit a copper mine, of whose position we are alone cognisant;
in that vicinity he was surprised by natives, who seized, and
burnt the vessel, making himself and crew prisoners, whose ransom
we afterwards paid.
Conceiving that we had a just claim for indemnity I
visited in the Spring of 1853 and applied to your Grace
through Messrs Taylor and Sons for a lease of the mine.
This application was favorably considered, and at the
recommendation of your Grace, received, as I was informed, the
assent of H.M. Council's. After the names of myself and
Co. Lessees were submitted and approved, your Grace's secretary
Mr Blackwood informed me that the draft of the lease was
written, and I being anxious to cross the Isthmus of Panama
before the rainy season commenced in consequence of the illness
of one of my family, he courteously assured me that he would
forward the Patent as soon as it was engrossed.
Co. Lessees were submitted and approved, your Grace's secretary
Mr Blackwood informed me that the draft of the lease was
written, and I being anxious to cross the Isthmus of Panama
before the rainy season commenced in consequence of the illness
of one of my family, he courteously assured me that he would
forward the Patent as soon as it was engrossed.
Upon the faith of this assurance, I quitted , since
which time I have been unable to learn any grounds for the
refusal of H.M.'s Government to complete the execution of the
lease; except that the Governor of Vancouver had issued a
proclamation offering monthly licenses, which your Grace is aware
could not of course be available in Quartz mining where capital
must be invested.
Had we not supposed that our enterprise was legitimate and in
the absence of all objection worthy of encouragement, we would
not have ventured so much time and capital in its prosecution,
which has unfortunately resulted in such great loss to us.
The justice of our claim has been admitted by your Grace, and I
trust that the consideration thereof will procure for us some
indemnity; more especially, as to the loss incurred by our expenses
on the Island, and the seizure of the vessel amounting to £5000,
must be added
subsequent expenses incurred on the faith of
promise made by H.M.'s Government to execute
the lease, and withdrawn without error on our part.
subsequent expenses incurred on the faith of
promise made by H.M.'s Government to execute
the lease, and withdrawn without error on our part.
I am aware that this is an unofficial mode of application, but
as one of my partners and those friends in who would
have interested themselves are dead, and as I am not in a position
to leave my business, I have ventured thus to address you; and
subscribe myself with much respect,
Other documents included in the file
Copy, John Taylor to Blackwood, 10 March 1858, confirming his
firm had received the Colonial Office letter of July 1853 denying the
lease, and that a copy had been forwarded to Easterby.
Draft, Colonial Office to Easterby, 17 March 1858, denying that he
had any just claim against the government.
Minutes by CO staff
I have shown this sentence to Mr Blackwood, who quite confirms it is an accurate account of his statement.
TFE
Minutes by CO staff
(I have altered this, because he had a right to leave whether the affair was settled
or not.)
S
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Merivale
This is an attempt to procure compensation from Government for alleged losses not justly chargeable on it.
This is an attempt to procure compensation from Government for alleged losses not justly chargeable on it.
The Easterbys or persons associated with them, hearing that gold
had been discovered in Queen Charlotte Island, sent a ship there
in 1852. The Vessel was seized by the Natives and destroyed.
In 1853 the Easterbys, with the aid of their Agent here, Mr
John Taylor Jr.—the mining Engineer, applied to the Duke of
Newcastle, then S. of S. for this Office, for a lease of the
land where the gold was supposed to exist. His Grace, having a
favorable opinion of Mr Taylor, was disposed to sanction the
establishment of a small company, or association of respectable
persons, who would
carry the enterprize out, & to whom he was
not averse to giving a Lease. This Office even proceeded so
far as to take steps for having a Lease drawn up. In the
consideration, however, which it was necessary to give to this
subject it was found that there were several serious and fatal
objections to the execution of the design, and accordingly a
Letter explaining them, & adding that a Lease could not be
granted was addressed to Messrs Easterby's Agent in London, Mr
J. Taylor, on the 20 July 1853. Of this Letter a copy was taken
by Mr Easterby's brother in Law, Mr N.[utter] Gray who forwarded
it to Mr Easterby, who had quitted a short time previously.
carry the enterprize out, & to whom he was
not averse to giving a Lease. This Office even proceeded so
far as to take steps for having a Lease drawn up. In the
consideration, however, which it was necessary to give to this
subject it was found that there were several serious and fatal
objections to the execution of the design, and accordingly a
Letter explaining them, & adding that a Lease could not be
granted was addressed to Messrs Easterby's Agent in London, Mr
J. Taylor, on the 20 July 1853. Of this Letter a copy was taken
by Mr Easterby's brother in Law, Mr N.[utter] Gray who forwarded
it to Mr Easterby, who had quitted a short time previously.
The discussion of the subject then terminated, nor have we heard
more about it until the arrival of this Letter.
And this Letter you will notice asks for indemnity for losses
incurred, entirely on
the Easterby's own responsibility, one
year prior to the commencement of the negotiation between the
Govt & the Easterbys.
the Easterby's own responsibility, one
year prior to the commencement of the negotiation between the
Govt & the Easterbys.
The claim appears to me to be totally destitute of foundation.
As the writer of this Letter has introduced my name into the
transaction I have to state that I perfectly remember, at the
desire of the Duke of Newcastle, seeing Mr Taylor and the
Easterbys on one or two occasions, and it is very probable that
I mentioned that the draft Lease was in preparation, as was the
case at one time; but I repudiate having said; at such
interviews, more than the circ[umstanc]es authorized me to do,
or anything which wd have justified the writer in quitting
with the belief that the matter was settled with the
Govt to his satisfaction.
I annex two Parliamentary Papers on this subject, together with
a note from
Mr Taylor to myself.
Mr Taylor to myself.
ABd
11/3
No man I apprehend can make out that he has a reasonable claim
to compensation on such a plea as that he embarked valuable
capital, and started for the most distant Colony we possess, not
merely without the Lease on which he says that he reckoned, but
without a single line in writing to state that he would have
such a lease. Individuals are so unscrupulous in bringing
claims on the public, that if such grounds as these were
admissible, there would be no safety.
Write accordingly: if his address as given is permanent, as by
the concluding passages of his letter appears likely.
S
M 13